Rose Byrne rocks. Is her character totally likeable? Maybe not initially, but you grow to love her as you come to understand that she struggles deeply with self-loathing and body image issues, and she feels stuck in her life. She's the woman who's smarter than the men in the room, but she doesn't have a place in the board room. A feminist tale that doesn't try to be sweet or inspiring, but somehow ends up being inspiring despite it's dark edge. Dramedy. Darkly funny but also serious.
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rolbyh20021 November 2021
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kendra-kovach19 June 2021Great Acting, interesting story. After the first 2 episodes it picks up steam. I'm really enjoying a dive into the 80's and into the mind of a woman with a eating disorder. I thought it was brilliant how you can see what low self worth takes over and what you are willing to settle for. Don't listen to the ratings on this one,they probably didn't really give it a chance, those are the same people who give Grey's Anatomy 10 stars.
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Acid_Reflex19 June 2021I can't believe this has such a low imdb rating. I watched the first 3 episodes and am hooked. It's dark and twisted just enough so far. Hope it stays this good and earns a 2nd season.
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kimkdg5 August 2021Whoever did the trailer and write up for this one scared a lot of people off-I almost didn't watch-it's really not about a woman making an exercise video or finding herself through exercise.....it's a dark and hard look at bulimia, the role/portrayal/treatment of women in the 80s, and abusive relationships. Rose Byrne and Deidre Friel are particularly excellent in this! Edgy and unexpected, a great watch.
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A couple of months ago, after 10 minutes of watching I turned it off as I was expecting something different. Last night, I wanted different and oh my word, this is brilliant!! I binge watched season one in one go and then season two.
Rose Byrne is absolutely PHENOMENAL, the soundtrack is fantastic and the story sharp. I also love how it captures the 80's so well! (I grew up in the 80's, my mum had the same kind of video camera and black hard plastic bag that it came with-so funny seeing that and other 80's scenes/things) Cannot wait for season three! -
fiobobo24 December 2021I can say this was a legit representation, it very much reminded me of times when I struggled with mine.... Not sure why people say it "doesn't bring awareness to eating disorders" - how so?? By being a realistic representation it absolutely brings awareness, and just because something makes you uncomfortable doesn't mean it wasn't well done. Oh and she definitely was bulimic (people wondered if she actually was or not due to no toilet flushing, etc).... When her husband comments on her eyes being all bloodshot that's from the pressure of vomiting.
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kinder-j27 September 2023S1 = 8, S2 = 7, S3 = a 4 or 5. It's a shame it was great and unique when it was at its best.
Completely fell to pieces in the most uninteresting way.
Season two felt a bit all over and not as tight of a story telling experience.
Season three is just completely unfocused, rushed and either unsatisfying or underwhelming character/story conclusions.
It feels like they possibly got cancelled behind the scenes and they gave them enough notice to work it into most of season 3. Even with that in mind, it's such a disjointed unsatisfying experience.
The horrible final dialogue not only sounded laughable (in the show, and for us the audience). Even if it some how hadn't been laughable, it was unearned and more importantly not show as plausible character growth.
That wasn't the journey we were along for the ride with. -
simoneclash26 June 2021Watched the first 4 episodes and got hooked on it. Good acting, dark, funny, love Robe Byrne, she is always very good but as rest of the cast in this case.
Some people complain and low rated this show because it is not 100% on aerobics or because the house's style is more 70's than 80's.
Nobody said it was an aerobics documentary and if you have decorated or remodelled your house in 1975 you are not gonna necessarely change it in 1981 with the 80's style.
I think it is much more realistic than many movies/shows where the decade style is overly exaggerated, especially in the transition period. -
pelineraslan-3442722 September 2023This was one of my favorite shows EVER. I was hooked from the first episode. After an excellent first season I thought the second season dipped in quality and believability but I was still excited for season 3 to come out. I am incredibly disappointed in this season. It has become almost a caricature of itself. The dialogue is kind of ridiculous, and some parts just make you roll your eyes. They seem to have totally abandoned logic behind. The characters' reactions don't make any sense, nothing seems fitting for the time period it's supposed to be in. I cannot believe they would ruin an amazing show like this.
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Opinate19 June 2021It captures the heart of being a woman in the eighties so well. Split a dozen ways, trying to keep your head above water as you fulfill everyone else's needs. If only you are thin and pretty enough you will be happy. Nailed it. Byrne's character even has a bit of the snarky feminist attitude leftover from the seventies.
I love it so far. Yes, there's lots of in-head dialogue, but that's what obsessive people do.
Love the actor playing the aerobics guru - she fits the part exactly. LA in the eighties.
Looks like its going to be a fun ride.
Give it a try if you like real, snarky women or if you lived through that era with open eyes. -
firstelement18 June 2021Rose Byrne is amazing and everything she did but this one is a very, very different role for her and I cannot get enough of it! That voice inside your head is loud and strong in this series and I am glad for it. The only regret I have is that now I have to wait for the rest of the season because I watched the first 3 episodes in one go.
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sorakwon-3866823 July 2021The show is good. It took way too long to get here.(by 7 it hooked me) Have they been greenlit for 5 seasons? Can't there be world building while keeping the viewer engaged. Good supporting cast. Rose Byrne is amazing as usual.
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Holli_Would23 September 2023This series started out really well. It had quirky elements that made it highly watchable. Series 2 was a little bit less coherent, but still entertaining to a degree. When that final episode of the series hit, I honestly didn't care if another season was picked up.
Now watching series 3 and it's chaotic and not in a good, dramatic way, but in a "we don't know what we're doing here" way that makes me zone out while trying to finish an episode.
We've got random odd characters (Zoe Deschanel) dropping in, then dropping out, but not adding anything to the plot. And the annoying husband is the focus of the 3rd series, which we could totally do without,
At this point, I'm hoping the series will get cancelled because what are we watching anymore? -
Russoguru19 June 2021Rose Byrne isn't just a great actress, she's also sexy as all hell and somehow pulls off the whole "almost Jennifer Beals" look in this charming and fun snapshot of my favorite decade. I'm serious, I love Rose Byrne, and she can "get it", as the young people say.
Rose Byrne portrays a woman named Sheila, and also serves as executive producer on this fascinating show that appears to have a lot of promise.
Unfortunately Sheila is clearly going through a lot of extreme issues, Partly a consequence of a culture that values beauty over well-being and self care. That's the 1980s for you.
The first episode was really good and I'm looking forward to seeing more of this interesting dive into days long gone by. -
Movie_Fanatic_Down_Under20 June 2021I love the honesty this shows brings to what life can be like for a woman. People are complaining in other reviews about too much negative self-talk in the show but for some of us that is what life can be like. Glad to see such a relatable character in a show. Will keep watching!
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jaimemedina-3628824 June 2021Love everything about this show. The internal dialogue is dark, cutting, and hilarious. The 80's setting adds to the comedy and brings a note of nostalgia for those of us who loved it. Obsession, addiction, sex, and delusion are all in the menu.
Love it. -
julieshotmail8 August 2021Sheila is a broken woman with many secrets, captivatingly portrayed by the always-fascinating and beautiful Rose Byrne. She is friendly and supportive on the outside, but simmering with anger and ambition inside. From the beginning, you sympathize and want to root for her, hoping that one day she will get what she desires and be wildly successful at it. That desire can be anything, but in this series it's the birth of aerobics in the early 80s, so the show immerses you in that distinctive music, that distinctive hair, and those distinctive clothes and makeup. It's fabulous! With that backdrop, we get to know Sheila more deeply as she journeys her way through her husband's campaign, her wife and mother responsibilities, her own health issues, and her relationships with neighbors, "friends," colleagues, and family. In the end, I am really rooting for her, however she does something unexplainable that almost seems out of character. Yes, she has dark secrets and is very ambitious, but it is just not in her to backstab Bunny like that - the same Bunny who showed her the ropes and has never done anything bad to her. If anything, knowing what we know about Sheila by episode 10, she is very grateful to Bunny for giving her a chance to be part of the whole thing.
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joachimokeefe20 September 2021An intense, entertaining, nostalgic-comic epic, like Mad Men with a knowing wink or five to the people who remember exercise videos, Mercedes 123s and no internet.
Rose Byrne does a tour de force as a secretly bulimic, ambitious b*tch who'll stop at nothing to um, sell her exercise video. It's reminiscent of Better Call Saul in parts, as the nostalgic story of an out-and-out hustler.
If you enjoyed Mad Men, 'Physical' is in the same vein; all the way through you're wondering where they got the 1980's hardware, costumes and cars - which helps when the plot gets flakey at times.
The other half and I binged the whole thing in one go; it's *almost* hard work to watch, but feel that burn. Great supporting cast, too. Maybe it's because the main character turns out to be not a bit nice at all that Physical leaves an ever so slightly sour aftertaste. Even Dick Whitman - and Saul Goodman - had their professional integrity. -
gkimmarygleim24 June 2021I'm hooked. Watched the first three episodes and I'm amazed at how authentic the 1980s are depicted. Someone did their homework. Rose Byrne really rocks her character. I'm sure I still have my original Jane Fonda Workout VHS tapes in a box somewhere. Two more days until Friday and Episode #4. Looking forward to it!
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100% nailed the 80's obsession with weight loss - from Crystal Light to aerobics. This was a decade where women were encouraged to put themselves Second. Rose Burn plays a wife and mother searching for meaning, and taking control over the one thing she can - her weight. It's a time when it was okay for men to make decisions for women. Thankfully, this is a show about a woman who took her life back.
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cindyrellaexists8 September 2023Please bring back Dela Saba and kick Zoey Deschanel to the curb. Bunny was such an interesting and fresh character and whatever season 3 is it's just flat without Bunny. First of all what did Zoey do to her face?! It's such a downgrade and quite frankly vey cringe to look at her let alone see her attempt to act quirky. She is seriously failing and the episodes need to use less and less of her if they are to remain even remotely entertaining. Sheila is getting a bit tired too. Greta is losing her spicy disposition. Why is this show becoming a drip fest? Bring back the silly and the angst of Bunny and start from there.
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gabriella-7123120 June 2021Totally get it. If you're in this generation you'll definitely get it. Fan of Rose Byrne!
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FeastMode10 February 2024Physical is a show about a subject matter that I'm not really interested in. It's something I never expected to like. But because of Rose Byrne and a friend's recommendation, I gave it a shot. And I was not disappointed.
It's an interesting show that does an amazing job of demonstrating different things like bulimia, low self-esteem, and domestic slavery, among others. I was familiar with most of it, but this show made me really understand and empathize.
It has a good story with great characters. They're all flawed but you still care about them. It's regularly amusing with some hilarious moments. And there are numerous standout performances.
But the one who shines the most is lead actress Rose Byrne. She was already my favorite actress before this. She's amazingly talented, but that's not what separates her. There are other actresses with her level of talent. For me, it's her choices in movies/shows. She's in a whopping 15 movies/shows that I've rated 7 stars or higher. I just looked up Bale, DiCaprio and Hardy, they each have less than 10.
Seasonal ratings: 7, 7, 6.5
(1 viewing, 2/9/2024) -
gunmabike7 September 2023This Kelly Kilmartin character talking in Sheila's head has completely ruined the show. It's so cheesy and cheapens the show. Rose is an amazing actor as are the others. The plot is great, great cinematography. Too bad season 3's writing is sooooo terrible. Please put this 'talking in her head' character to pasture. SAVE THE SHOW!
I like the way they made the 80s vibe look. Everything looks right. Great sets and wardrobe. I hope this show gets back on track because the first 2 seasons were great. It was one of my favourite shows and one of the top reasons I subscribed to Apple+. Seasons 1 and 2 get full marks. I would give a 9/10. Season 3 gets a 2/10.